Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-12-14
The Fall.Weathcr Prophets.

10 the EdItOr OF HE EVENING STAR:
The fall OF the year is the favorite time for the
weather prophets. There is the Old man. way down
In the piny woods OF Maine the frontier farmer OF
the West the old man OF African descent, down
South, the hunter and trapper OF the far West to
say nothing OF the legions OF smaller prophets
lying all along tn lines between these prominent
points. They all, 50 they think, have wonderful
powers OF observation The Wild fowls are seen
fvin South particularly early, the musk rats have
lined their nests In particular and thorough man
ner, the squirrels have laid in extra allow Ince
o! food, the cornhusis have a peculiar mark Ec
These signs falling, as they did last year the
goose bone Is resorteI to to indicate e1dcty what
will be. And so the animal and vegetable KING
doms are supposed 10 indicate the ply steal conui
lions for many months ahead. When men are ono
rant OF physical laws they seem to have great fth
In absurd notions whereby they imaoins ma ,ha
future Is revealed TO them. In nothing Is this so
conspicuous as In the department or the weather.
excusable In the past, for the Old system OF me-
teorology Is so wanting in all valuable inf r.natIOn
that the world was LEFT In darkness. It
could not dispute the thousand and one alb
suru sayings or the so-cailed prophets and
their signs. The world might not altogether have
for the eauaiIy absurd statemsnss ,n respect
Bungtown Almanac" still IL was helpless To Op-
pose, so the humbus was endured But quietly new
revelation was given 10 the world At first it an
parently amounted TO little beyond mere curiosity
The savans or the world, with lew exceptions To-
nored IL. But l. grew and developed, and inside OF
ten ears Its revelations were wonderful Prior TO
1870 meteorology was the most unsatisfactory
science in the world. From that date here in Z q
broad neids OF the United States, where IL mad
ample room 10 develop. and people sufficiently
Wise anu genera IS 10 encourage Il, IL made iapid
progress The results are inueed wonderful, and
completely overshadOw what was supposed TO be
the ultlmatum OF scientific wisdom and research
IN this department The planets move In space
about the great central orb the sun: thew turn on
their axis, exposing, In a regular manner their
whole surface 10 the action or the suns rays But
the movement does not end here; the atmosphere
Itself has notion more or less regular from
the west toward the east. or towa rd
the great source OF light, ever toward the
rising sun There are apparent exceptions to
this, as 10 the southern fow OF the Nisssslppl
River; but, Notwithstanding the varied turn, OF
this great river, Its course Is ever toward the
south So the course OF the atmosphere IS ever
toward the east. on the weather map this move
ment is daily Indicated. II we would know any,
thing OF our atmosphere we must consult this
map, for IL is the only medium whereby we may
learn anything OF value OF the meteorplopic.l
changes which produce what We term the weather
BY this map we learn that IL Is absurd 10 attempt
10 prognOstcate the weather beyond three or four
days In advance, and then the conditions must be
very favorable. People who are not familiar WITH
the map cannot understand why the conditions
should not always be favorable and we be able to
read the weather thus far In advance. But let
readily see the obstacles in the way. They Will
see how irregular the conditions OF area Intensity
and motion are, and thar sometimes II Is Diff
ncult 10 forete for even twenty -four hours than
AT other times 10 say what II will be for four
days In advance. When any one pretends TO know
what the weather Will be beyond four days In ad-
vance IL simply shows his entire ignorance OF the
whole meteorological system Of our globe.
WASHINGTON, ID. C., Dec. il, 81, LPN.